Jump to content

      



























Photo
- - - - -

My New Best Friends at Metro Toyota


  • Please log in to reply
16 replies to this topic

#1 yodsaker

yodsaker
  • Member
  • 1,280 posts

Posted 27 August 2009 - 10:10 AM

Well, its been an interesting week. I'm on a roll making new best friends with local businesses all over town. This time our new best friends were (briefly, see below) at Metro Toyota.

We recently bought a very clean one-owner Toyota Corolla (our 4th since 1982) with 68K on the clock. It had been leased then bought out so it was looked after.

Two weeks ago a warning light came on so I checked out the owner's book and Toyota stuff on the net. The advice was first, check the gas cap is on tight. OK, drove a km or two and the light went out as it said it would. Yesterday the light came on again when I started up so I stopped and did the gas cap. But the light didn't go out after 2 km so we went to Metro where they do a computer scan to see codes that indicate the trouble area.

Guy asks me for the odometer reading - its 70548km. He also tells us the air bag light and the ABS light should not come on when we start up. Hmmm. The owner's book says they come on briefly to show the systems are working right and they did in every other Toyota we've had. He mumbles. We leave the car and go kill an hour or so at Mayfair.

Come back and we're told the speedo and odo aren't working (funny, the trip meter works and I assume they are linked). He says the car needs a new speedo because the computer yadayada and its $519 + labour + tax.
No happy campers here.

I tell him the speedo works, I would know if it didn't because I pay attention when driving and I never noticed anything about the odo. He mumbles somethng about code # 5690xyz4768567. I don't like this situation. He'll call us when the speedo is delivered.

We get in the car and the "non-working" odo now reads 70551km. Hmm, 3km while we sat in Mayfair. My **** detector is flashing bright red.
OK, let's drive around a bit. Up Interurban Road and gee whiz! the speedo and odo work just fine. Back to Metro to tell them it ain't broke, why fix it and we'll pass on the new speedo.

My new friendship now cools off abruptly. No eye contact, looking intently at the computer he is frosty when I tell him things work fine. "If you say so but the report says they don't" is the approx. quote, then OK you're done, take it away. Clearly they don't want me as a best friend anymore especially as I have decided not to lay on about $700.

So they told me 1) the ABS light shouldn't come on 2) the airbag light shouldn't come on 3) the speedo doesn't work 4) the odo doesn't work.

The owner's book says 1 & 2 should light up briefly on starting and if they don't come on there's a malfunction. My wife and I saw the speedo and odo working just fine. But what do we know? We only drive the car daily.

I don't want to say they are fibbing, maybe they just don't know their product. Either one is reason for me not to trust them. Anyone know a good Toyota mechanic?

#2 Roger

Roger
  • Member
  • 284 posts

Posted 27 August 2009 - 11:13 AM

I don't want to say they are fibbing, maybe they just don't know their product. Either one is reason for me not to trust them. Anyone know a good Toyota mechanic?


Why not try driving up to Duncan and having the dealer there take a look?

#3 spanky123

spanky123
  • Member
  • 20,976 posts

Posted 27 August 2009 - 12:02 PM

Lots of good independants in town so why not try them out. Toyota's aren't rocket science and it sounds like you are out of warranty anyways.

Lots of older Toyota's allow you to get the engine check liight code by shorting a couple of pins in the fuse box. Check online and see if that is the case with your car and then you can look up the code yourself.

#4 LJ

LJ
  • Member
  • 12,701 posts

Posted 27 August 2009 - 09:13 PM

Most good independant garages can read the error codes for any model car.
Life's a journey......so roll down the window and enjoy the breeze.

#5 yodsaker

yodsaker
  • Member
  • 1,280 posts

Posted 27 August 2009 - 10:32 PM

Most good independant garages can read the error codes for any model car.


Can anyone recommend some good indies? I used to have the Volvo done at Landsmann but he doesn't have computer stuff.

#6 VicDuck

VicDuck

    Banned

  • Banned
  • 409 posts

Posted 27 August 2009 - 11:10 PM

Never go to a vehicle company garage cause all they will do is give you a bunch of bull.

#7 S_B_Russell

S_B_Russell
  • Member
  • 8 posts

Posted 28 August 2009 - 05:08 AM

Yup. Definitely use an indie garage. You're way less likely to get squeezed. I have a BMW right now and stopped using the dealer the minute the warranty expired.

#8 rjag

rjag
  • Member
  • 6,363 posts
  • LocationSi vis pacem para bellum

Posted 28 August 2009 - 08:00 AM

All he's doing is providing what is recommended when the car throws a certain code. He pulls the code and looks it up and finds the fix.

So either there is more to this car you dont know about or theres not. Did you run a carfax or carproof report before you bought it? If not you should pay the money and run one.

I take my wifes 2005 GX470 in and dont find them to be unscrupulous.

But run the report and go to an independent for a 2nd opinion.

#9 arfenarf

arfenarf
  • Member
  • 322 posts

Posted 28 August 2009 - 08:01 AM

We're big fans of the Petro Can on Fairfield at St Charles. They've treated me right for many years. No BS, and the one time they goofed, they were on it right away and made things right afterward.

#10 yodsaker

yodsaker
  • Member
  • 1,280 posts

Posted 28 August 2009 - 08:03 AM

Agree, I've always favoured the indie guy trying to make an honest buck. Dealers have you by the shorts w/warranties but as SB says once the warranty is done....

#11 Jill

Jill
  • Member
  • 1,039 posts

Posted 28 August 2009 - 08:04 AM

We've trusted VCM at Herald and Government for years.

#12 yodsaker

yodsaker
  • Member
  • 1,280 posts

Posted 28 August 2009 - 08:05 AM

All he's doing is providing what is recommended when the car throws a certain code. He pulls the code and looks it up and finds the fix.

So either there is more to this car you dont know about or theres not. Did you run a carfax or carproof report before you bought it? If not you should pay the money and run one.

I take my wifes 2005 GX470 in and dont find them to be unscrupulous.

But run the report and go to an independent for a 2nd opinion.


Yeah I know about the codes, my beef was the fibs about things not working.

#13 VicHockeyFan

VicHockeyFan
  • Suspended User
  • 52,121 posts

Posted 28 August 2009 - 08:07 AM

Can anyone recommend some good indies? I used to have the Volvo done at Landsmann but he doesn't have computer stuff.


A lot of people sear by Searle's.

http://www.searlesauto.ca/about.htm

#14 Koru

Koru
  • Member
  • 715 posts

Posted 28 August 2009 - 08:09 AM

We're big fans of the Petro Can on Fairfield at St Charles. They've treated me right for many years. No BS, and the one time they goofed, they were on it right away and made things right afterward.


I agree! - Bruce and Greg (father and son owners of the certigard) are great guys, if there is a problem they'll always make it right. My family has been using this shop since I was a little kid, so a good 20 years with no problems that weren't made right quickly

#15 sebberry

sebberry

    Resident Housekeeper

  • Moderator
  • 21,503 posts
  • LocationVictoria

Posted 28 August 2009 - 02:13 PM

I've been a Subaru guy for quite a while and have always gotten good service from Saunders and it has been getting even better recently. Yes, I pay full dealer rates for oil changes, but I appreciate the other service they give me.

Not all dealers are bad.

Victoria current weather by neighbourhood: Victoria school-based weather station network

Victoria webcams: Big Wave Dave Webcams

 


#16 yodsaker

yodsaker
  • Member
  • 1,280 posts

Posted 28 August 2009 - 02:34 PM

Thanks everyone for suggesting good garages I didn't know about.

#17 LJ

LJ
  • Member
  • 12,701 posts

Posted 28 August 2009 - 07:58 PM

Can anyone recommend some good indies? I used to have the Volvo done at Landsmann but he doesn't have computer stuff.



Rand automotive and Progressive are both pretty good.
Life's a journey......so roll down the window and enjoy the breeze.

 



0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users